Antigua and Barbuda PM Wins Fourth Term in Landslide Victory

Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda has won a snap general election, securing a fourth term leading the Caribbean twin-island nation. Preliminary results show his Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) took 15 of 17 seats in parliament.

Speaking to supporters early Friday, Browne said: “You have spoken, you have spoken very clearly. You have affirmed that the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party is the best organization to run this country.”

His main opponent, Jamale Pringle, leader of the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), was the only UPP candidate to win a seat. He defeated former party member Lamin Newton, one of five UPP members who defected to the ABLP ahead of the election.

Trevor Walker, leader of the opposition Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM), won the Barbuda constituency – one half of the twin-island nation.

The campaign unfolded amid political turbulence, including party defections, rising living costs, and global pressures such as a U.S. visa suspension. Since the 2023 general election, three by-elections were held, one triggered by the murder of independent MP Asot Michael.

Caribbean political analyst Peter Wickham called Browne’s fourth term victory “impressive” and attributed it to disarray within the opposition. “Ironically, the only seat they held onto is Pringle’s. But the rest of the country essentially chose not to invest significantly in him… There were defections from the UPP, showing dissatisfaction with his leadership, and I think this result basically seals his fate.”

Browne called the snap election shortly after his party won a crucial by-election in St Philip’s North. Wickham said Browne “identified an opportunity and took advantage of it.”

The victory came despite global pressures such as the Middle East conflict, which drove up fuel prices. During the campaign, Browne urged voters not to risk changing leadership: “We offer a renaissance in a time of change. On election day, do not gamble on a leader and a team that is not ready. Keep Antigua and Barbuda in safe and steady hands.”

The opposition focused criticism on the Trump administration’s decision in January to suspend visa processing for Antigua and Barbuda citizens, citing concerns that its citizenship-by-investment program could be exploited by criminals to enter the U.S. The move created difficulties for locals who regularly travel to the U.S. for work. Browne’s government said it was cooperating with Washington and had reformed the program to increase transparency. Wickham noted that Browne’s win despite “Trump’s attack” showed voters understood “this is not something the Antiguan government controls,” but rather “the U.S. government and the U.S. president control it, and that president is not very popular right now.”